The show is a ratings boon for CBS but Lee said it hasn’t helped him pitch science-based sitcoms.

“You think people would be chomping at the bit for a science sitcom,” he said. “I guess they (the programmers) feel there are so few people who would understand it. That makes them kind of hesitant.”

Lee loves playing in Northern California. It’s where he got his start in comedy. The Bay Area, cool weather and clean air are enticing, he said.

The Vallejo audience will get some PowerPoint and clean, clever humor based on science, Lee said. They’ll also get some straight stand up comedy.

Sharing the bill is Andrew Norelli who has been featured on the late night shows hosted by David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel and Craig Ferguson.

Norelli won the inaugural Las Vegas World Series of Comedy and placed second at the Boston Comedy Festival.

The second show in the series is Feb. 14 and will be hosted by Jason Love and feature Ben Feldman, Maggie Newcomb, Ngaio Bealum, Robin Cee and Tom Davenport.

FeatureReach Amy Maginnis-Honey at 427-6957 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amaginnisdr.

Andrew Norelli, Tim Lee

8 p.m. Jan. 17

Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St., Vallejo

552-2400

www.empresstheatre.org

http://andrewnorelli.webs.com or http://www.scientistturnedcomedian.com

Amy Maginnis-Honey

Amy Maginnis-Honey joined the staff of the Daily Republic in 1980. She’ll tell you she was only 3 at the time.
Over the past three decades she’s done a variety of jobs in the newsroom.
Today, she covers arts and entertainment and writes for the Living and news pages.